Lamp socket



H. S. BIXBY LAMP SOCKET Filed A ril 17; 1944 zmzmi Patented July 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP SOCKET Harold S. Bixby, East Haven, Conn.

Application April 17, 1944, Serial No. 531,348 6 Claims. (01. 173 -328) This invention relates to socket members for electric lamps, and more particularly to socket members for fluorescent or tubular lamps which are provided, as presently constructed, with con-.

tact pins extending from their end faces, the lamps themselves being of cylindrical or tubular form.

In the past these lamps have been secured in and supported by sockets which are provided with one or more slots extending through the lower edge of the socket for the insertion of the contact pins thereinto. After the pins are inserted in these vertical slots extending through the bottom of the socket, the lamp is usually turned or moved laterally so that the pins will no longer register with the slots and will be held or clamped in place by spring contact members. Notwithstanding the fact that in their final position, the pins do not register with the slots, it has been found that vibration often dislodges the contact pins from the spring contact members by which they are engaged and the pins will align with the slots and the lamp falls from the fixture.

I contemplate in the present invention .the provision of a socket for a lamp of the fluorescent or tubular type into which socket the lamp may be inserted laterally and then moved downwardly into slots in the socket so that it will be a practical impossibility for the lamp to drop from the socket accidentally, although it may be removed at will when removal is desired.

One object of the present invention is to provide a lamp socket for tubular or fluorescent lamps in which the lamp will be securely held without danger of accidental detachment therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lamp socket as described above from which the lamp may be readily detached and removed when desired.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lamp socket for a lamp of the fluorescent or tubular type having end contact pins projecting therefrom, which sockets shall be provided with slots to receive said pins, the slots being closed in their lower ends to prevent the pins from dropping therefrom and the sockets being provided with means to pl 'mitientrance of the pins into said slots. "i

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a socket for tubular or fluorescent lamps having end contact pins projecting therefrom, the socket being so arranged that the contact pins are inserted into slots closed at their lower ends, the insertion being elfected first by a lateral movement of the lamp and then by a downward movement toward the closed lower ends of the slots.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a socket embodying my invention with the end portion of a lamp shown in operative relation therewith;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the socket; V Y

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the socket with the cover removed; v

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig.- 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line B6 of Fig. 3;

and I Fig. '7 shows in front and side elevation the contact pins disposed within the socket.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown in the drawing a lamp socket designated generally by the numeral l0 having secured thereto a tubular lamp ll of the fluorescent type, the lamp being provided with a pair of projecting end contact pins l 2 as is usual, only one of such pins being shown in the present drawing.

The socket is shown in face view in Fig. 2 of the drawing and may consist of a lower body portion l3 and an upper enlarged portion [4 provided with recesses I5 through which connecting wires may be led tobe connected with the contact members to be presently described. It will be understood that the socket-is formed of insulating material and may conveniently be formed of one of the commonly known insulating plastic materials. 1

In its front face the socket is provided witha pair of vertically disposed slots I6 to receive the contact pins I2, the slots being spaced apart a distance equal to that of the contact pins. It may be noted that these slots do not open through the lower end edge of the socket but are closed at their lower ends.

Entrance to these slots is provided by means of a transverse or horizontal slot [1 which intersects and communicates with the upper ends of the slots 16. The slot ll opens at one or both ends (both as shown in the present drawing) through the side edges of the body portion l3 of the socket member. With this construction it will be understood that the contact pins may be inserted laterally into the slot l-l through one or the other of the open ends thereof, and when these pins are moved to a position opposite the open ends or mouths of the slots [6, they may then be moved downwardly into these slots.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3to 7 in the drawing, it may be noted that the socket mem ber [0 being preferably formed of plastic material may be molded into the desired form. As shown, it is a hollow member opened at the back but provided witha central rib l8 and spaced lugs l9,

parts eothe rib providing channels 20 on each side there- 3 of, which channels as shown in Fig. 4 communicate with the slots l6 and I 1'. Within these channels are disposed contact members 2 I, these members having laterally or horizontally extending upper end portions 22. These contact members will normally be made of sheet metal of good electrical conductivity and the body portions will be of a width to lie within the channels 20. One

edge of the laterally turned portion 22 of each contact member may fit within a groove formed between the upper and lower lugs 23 molded on the socket member so as to assist in holding the contact members in place. They will also be held in place by a cover 24 of fiber or the like which may be secured upon the rear open face of the socket.

The upper laterally disposed end of each contact member may be provided with a threaded boss 25 into which is threaded a contact screw 25 to provid 'a terminal end connection with At their lower ends the current-carrying wires. the body of each contact member may be split or bifurcated and the end portions upon each side of such split twisted and turned upwardly as shown at 26 to provide oppositely disposed cooperating spring clamp members to receive and clamp the pins l2 therebetween. These end portio'ns 2 6 are so shaped as to provide a somewhat flaring upper mouth 21 and a lower constricted portion 28 so that once the pin 12 .is pressed downwardly below the constricted portion 28, it

will be removably clamped in place by the resilient end portions 26. These end. portions it may be noted are formed integrally with the body portions of the members 21 and as shown are twisted out of their normal planes so as to lie in planes transverse to that of the member 24, the members 26 thus providing a socket clamp which faces the front face of the socket member and when in place lies opposite the slots l5, so that the pins 12 when extending through these slots will be clamped between these members.

When connecting a lamp with the socket, the latter is held in a position in which both of the pins I2 are aligned with the slot 1 l and'the pins moved laterallyor horizontally into this slot until they register with the other 'openends of the slots 16. The lamp is then pressed downwardly until the pins pass the restricted throat 28, in which position they will be clamped tightly by the resilient members 26 so that a firm electrical contact will be made and at the same time the contact pins will beheld against movement.

It will also be noted that the slots- IE are closed at their lower ends so that it is impossible for the pins I 2 to drop therefrom even though they might become loosened from the clamping members 26. There will, therefore, be no danger of the lamps dropping from the sockets even if em ployed in positions where they are subject to heavy and continued vibrations. Moreover, due to the provision of the transverse intersecting slot H, the contact pins may be readily inserted into the slots l6 and also readily removed therefrom when desired.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limite to all the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A socket or holder for fluorescent lamps provided with outwardly projecting end contact pins, said socket comprising a body portion of insulat- 4 ing material having a substantially horizontally disposed transverse slot across its face opening through a side edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally disposed, pin receiving, slots in the face of said body portion communicating at their upper ends with said transverse slot and closed at their lower ends, and a spring contact member disposed rearwardly of each of said last named slots to engage a pin moved downwardly therein.

2. A socket or holder for fluorescent lamps provided with outwardly projecting end contact pins, said socket comprising a body portion of insulating material having a transverse slot across its face opening through a side edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally disposed, pin receiving, slots in the face of said body portion communicating at their upper ends with said transverse slot and closed at their lower ends, and spring contact members disposed rearwardly of each of said longitudinally disposed slots, said members having clamping jaws opening toward said transverse slot to receive the contact pins entering through the last named slot.

3. A socket or holder as in claim 1 wherein the transverse slot opens through both side edges of the body portion of the member.

' 4. A socket or holder for fluorescent lamps provided with outwardly projecting end contact pins, said socket comprising a body portion of insulating material having a transverse slot across its face opening through a side edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally disposed, pin receiving, slots in the face of said body portion commimicating at their upper ends with said transverse slot and closed at their lower ends, a pair of contact members supported in said body portions, each of said members comprising a flat body portion and spaced end portions facing each other and forming between them a spring clamp for a contact 40 pin, and said end portions being disposed oppositesaid longitudinal slots.

5. A socket or holder for fluorescent lamps provided with outwardly projecting end contact pins, said socket comprising a body portion of insulating material having a transverse slot across its I face opening through a side edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally disposed, pin receiving, slots in the face of said body portion communicating at their upper ends with said transverse slot and closed at their lower ends, a. pair of contact members supported in said body portions, each of said members comprising a flat body portion and spaced end portions facing each other and forming between them a spring clamp for a contact pin, and said end portions being disposed opposite said longitudinal slots and being formed integrally with the body portion of the contact members.

6. A socket or holder for fluorescent lamps provided with outwardly projecting end contact pins, said socket comprising a body portion of insulating material having a transverse slot across its face opening through a side edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally disposed, pin receiving, slots in the face of said body portion communicating at their upper ends with said transverse slot and closed at their lower ends, a pair of contact members supported in said socket, each of of said split being twisted to lie at right angles to said fiat body portion and folded thereover to form spaced clamping contact members to receive a contact pin therebetween.

HAROLD s. BIXBY. 

